{"id":648953,"date":"2026-05-04T12:01:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T12:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/648953\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T12:01:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T12:01:11","slug":"womxns-rugby-is-gaining-ground-at-depaul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/648953\/","title":{"rendered":"Womxn\u2019s rugby is gaining ground at DePaul"},"content":{"rendered":"

In rugby, when a minor infraction stops play, it\u2019s restarted with a scrum. Forwards from each team pack together and push against opposition, competing for possession of the ball and field position. The coordination and grit required on the field are carried off the field, where the womxn\u2019s rugby club pushes for the same gains in resources and status.<\/p>\n

In the club\u2019s efforts to win, grow and leave a lasting legacy at DePaul, club president and senior sports communication major Breanna Baldwin-Zurek acknowledges how important passion and intensity are.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s seven people on the field. If one person is trying harder than everyone, then you know it\u2019s gonna be a rough day,\u201d Baldwin-Zurek said.<\/p>\n

Baldwin-Zurek started playing rugby her freshman year at DePaul. Despite not having a background in the sport, with the help of her teammates, she\u2019s worked her way to the top of the board. She is encouraging others to follow in her footsteps.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this game is the most approachable with learning it because no one knows what they\u2019re doing, so everyone\u2019s learning together,\u201d Baldwin-Zurek said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"A member of the womxn\u2019s rugby club, Caroline Tran, fights for the ball in a game against Northwestern at Lions for Hope Field on Sunday, April 26, 2026. Despite the risks of playing a contact sport, athletes on the team say it\u2019s worth it, especially as they receive safety training. (Isabella Siemaszko<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Many athletes on the team have no prior experience playing rugby, including Mallory Bores, a DePaul junior studying public relations and marketing. Bores joined the team after stumbling upon their table at an involvement fair.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I knew was cheer, so every single thing was new,\u201d Bores said. \u201cCleats were new. Getting hurt was new. It\u2019s constant scratches. My legs are scratched up just from the turf, from cleats. You get stomped on by the cleats.\u201d<\/p>\n

During her first season, Bores broke her hand while practicing a tackle, forcing her to spend most of the year learning from the sidelines. Despite the injuries, she said the physical marks left behind are worth it, as they reflect the effort and determination behind each win.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeaving with bruises and scratches fills me with so much joy, and it shouldn\u2019t, but it does,\u201d Bores said.<\/p>\n

The wear and tear isn\u2019t limited to the players themselves. Baldwin-Zurek noted that the equipment also takes on a toll.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMore people are coming out. We\u2019ve lost jerseys over the years. Some have been ripped in half,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The jerseys DePaul plays in were on the backs of players who were at DePaul decades ago. One of those players is Sarah Berry, the club\u2019s current assistant coach and 2017 DePaul graduate.<\/p>\n

\"\"Hope Allison (left) and Emelia Wetherall-Dehmlow, members of the womxen\u2019s rugby club, warmup before a game in the Southside 7s tournament at Lions for Hope Field on Sunday, April 26, 2026. The club\u2019s players divided into two teams that each played at least four games throughout the day. (Isabella Siemaszko<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u201cI started wearing those in 2015, and the other set, they didn\u2019t get until 2017 right after I graduated,\u201d Berry said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After years of use, the players said the jerseys have become \u201cuncomfortable,\u201d \u201cless size-inclusive\u201d and \u201cleotard-like.\u201d<\/p>\n

In April, the team started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for fresh blue and red kits, equipment and travel expenses.<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s rugby is recognized as an NCAA Emerging Sport, and only five Division I clubs operate under the bylaws. Since club rugby does not receive the already limited institutional backing that the divisional teams get, they have to get creative about meeting basic competitive needs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s no secret that club sports don\u2019t quite get as much funding as DI, DII, DIII programs, and so these students have to do a lot to figure out where that funding comes from,\u201d Berry said.<\/p>\n

In just 24 days, after lots of social media outreach and word-of-mouth promotion, the club met their goal of $3,000. In an Instagram post<\/a>, they thanked donors for their generosity and said the money would \u201ccompletely change\u201d the club.<\/p>\n

Baldwin-Zurek feels that this progress off the field can encourage new players to join.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the club is growing, intensity is growing, and hopefully our legacy at DePaul is growing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Supporters of DePaul\u2019s womxn\u2019s rugby club hold up signs at Lions for Hope Field on Sunday, April 26, 2026. As DePaul\u2019s teams played in the Southside 7s tournament, dozens of alumni, family members, friends and partners watched from the stands in support. (Isabella Siemaszko<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Since her time as a player in the club almost a decade ago, Berry has noticed a significant increase in interest in the sport, both in college and professional leagues.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Women\u2019s Elite Rugby, the first professional women\u2019s rugby league in the U.S., had its inaugural season. Composed of six teams, the league seeks to create a pipeline for younger players into the professional level.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, USA women\u2019s rugby took home bronze with the help of Ilona Maher, who has since become a popular personality and \u201cDancing with the Stars\u201d runner-up. Berry believes wins like these help give rugby a larger platform.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think women\u2019s sports in general is showing that it\u2019s more than just about the athlete. It\u2019s about the whole person,\u201d Berry said. \u201cWe\u2019re really following stories and getting excited about it. I think we\u2019re seeing a lot of growth in rugby from that.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the club continues to build momentum, its identity is shaped as much by connection as it is competition and training.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Charlotte Waters-Graves, a senior studying communications and media, said that the camaraderie on the field stems to genuine relationships between the players off it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can be really hard sometimes when we\u2019ve had a lot of losses, but in the end, we just pick each other back up,\u201d Waters-Graves said. \u201cWe\u2019re just there for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t matter if they play in worn down jerseys or brand new ones, with torn up rugby balls or fresh cleats, the focus remains on helping on another grow their talent and building something bigger with every ruck, tackle and scrum.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not just teammates. We\u2019re not in competition with each other,\u201d Bores said. \u201cWe\u2019re always lifting each other up, whether we\u2019ve played for seven years or it\u2019s our first time putting cleats on today.\u201d<\/p>\n

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